The flood of 12-inch singles continues as more and more record companies realise that the initial sales spurt generated at small cost by a limited number of these “big 45’s” is enough to make the single show up on the national charts. Hence, incidentally, the reason why many 12-inchers bear the same catalogue number as the ordinary 7-inch version!
Feelings among DJ’s are still mixed about the 12-inch phenomenon. Personally, I find myself using more albums now that I’ve mixed up the 12-inchers with them in my LP boxes – others find the 12-inchers too bulky to carry. Again, I prefer them at 33 1/3rpm, finding that the slower speed produces less friction from the slip-mat and makes them easier to cue. However, the majority now prefer them at 45rpm, as the speed then doesn’t need changing by DJ’s who don’t normally use many albums.
Dave Porter of Liverpool’s Oscar club has written in with his views: “The US and UK disco charts are now dominated by 12-inch products – how long before the record companies send out everything in that form? I can see the supposed advantages – different mix, longer version, eye-catching appeal – but will they still be special when and if that happens?”
“They are already on sale to the public before there has been any standardisation of playing speed, so that DJ’s and customers alike are confused by the often unmarked difference of speeds. They are neither LP’s nor singles, but take up the space of the former. I tend to forget about them, as I find the 7-inchers much handier to use and remember.”
Those are Dave’s thoughts: what are yours? Let me know, both DJ’s and general public.
This week’s 12-inch releases are JOHNNY GUITAR WATSON ‘A Real Mother For Ya’ (DJM DJT 10762) – a semi-slowie with not much disco appeal – of which 5,000 commercially-available copies have been pressed, and CAROL WOODS ‘I’m In Wonderland’ (RCA PB 5012 DJ) – a 7:14 Northern squawker with a long instrumental break from Ian Levine – of which only 800 promotional copies were made. Continue reading “April 9, 1977: “The flood of 12-inch singles continues.””
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